Timer for folding apparatus



Jan. 11, 1949. T. s. WATSON 2,458,544

TIMER FOR FOLDING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1946 l I 5 Shets-Sheet 1 IIIIIHI NVENTOR Jan. 11, 1949. '5, WATSON 2,458,544

TIMER FOR FOLDING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2will/1111111 In all "1 \NVENTOR BY M 93 ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1949. V s,WATSON 2,458,544

TIMER FOR FOLDING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1946 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,-Z@ L- KL lNVENTOR ma. 4

BY 9W1. EM

A TTORNEY5 Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMER FORFOLDING APPARATUS Thomas 8. -Watson, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor toZephyr. Laundry Machinery Company, Chicago, :Ill., a corporation ofDelaware Application May 20, 1946, Serial No. 670,980

'llClaims. 1

The invention relates to folding apparatus and more particularly toapparatus for folding sheet material especially towels, sheets, and thelike. The main object of th invention is to provide sheet controlledfolding apparatus which is of simple construction Where the sheetmaterial may be folded into any desired fractional amount of itsoriginal length. More particularly the invention includes a timercontrolled by the moving sheet and adapted to be operated at differentspeeds during the cycle of operation of the apparatus to cause thefolder "to operate after a predetermined length, for example, half thelength of the sheet material has passed the folder.

A further object of the invention is'torprovide a pair of timingmechanisms and a pair of trans- .fer switches which :are electricallycontrolled and operated by switches operated by the passage of .thesheet material past them whereby the sheet material is folded-into thedesired lengths.

The invention further consists in'the several features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of ,onerof the timers form- .inga part of this invention;

Fig. 2 .is a frontelevation view of said timer; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation view of said timer; Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical sectionalview through the timer taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is adetailed vertical sectional view through the timer taken on the line5--5 of Fig. 1;

transfer switchtaken on the line II! t of Fig.

Qshowing .the parts .in one position with parts broken away;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showingthe parts in anotherposition;

Fig. 13 is a view of parts shown in Fig. 8 showing one of the switchesinclosed position, parts being broken away;

ratus embodying the invention.

Referring to Fig. 14, the numeral 55 designates a support along whichthe sheet material is fed by suitable conveyor rolls i6 to rolls ll.Associated with two of the rolls H is a folder l8 of any suitableconstruction and here shown as a folder blade 59 operatively connectedby a lever to the plunger 2i of a solenoid energized by coil :52 andmoved to folding position thereby and returned by a spring 23. Sheetcontrolled and operated closure switchesl i and 25 are arranged oneabove the conveyor and the other adjacent the folding rolls so that as asheet passes under them, it will move them to a closed position.

The switch .2 3 is in a circuit including current supply conductors 26,a conductor 21, and an energizing coil 28 for a transfer switchmechanism TR' here shown for diagram purposes as comprising a movableswitch arm 29 and fixed contacts 3i and 3!.

The switch 25 is in a circuit including conductors 32, 33, and-34,supply conductors 25. a condoctor 35, and an energizing coil 36 for asecond transfer switch mechanism TR similar to the first and comprisinga switch arm 3? and fixed contacts'lifi and 39.

There ar two timers A and A of like construction, each including a pairof switches '46 and 4! controlled by rotatable timer member 42 on ashaft 45; which member is operated through gearing connections,hereafter described, controlled by electromagnetically operated clutcheswhose coils 44 and #5 are shown in Fig.

The coils i l and '55 of the timers are energizcd from any suitablesource of direct current as a battery it. One side of this battery isconnected by a conductor ll and branches and 4% to one of the ends ofeach set of coils, the other side of said battery being connected by aconductorEiG to the arm 29 of the first transfer switch and by aconductor 5! to the arm 32 of the second transfer switch.

The fixed contact of the first transfer switch is connected by aconductor 52 to the forward rotation. clutch control coil 44 of thefirst timer and the contact 3i by a conductor 53 to the similar controlcoil 4t of the second timer.

The reverse rotation clutch coil 45 of each of the timers is connectedby conductor 54 to the fixed. contact of the switch 43. The movablecontact of the switch it of the first timer is connected by a conductorto the fixed contact 38 of the second transfer switch .and the similarcontact of the switch 46 of the second timer is 3 connected by aconductor at to the fixed contact 39.

The switches 4i control the coil 22, one end of which is connected byconductor 33 to one of the supply lines 26 and the other end of which isconnected by a conductor 51 and branch conductors 5B and 59 to the fixedcontacts of the switches 4| while the movable contact of switch ill forthe first timer is connected by conductor 6i] to the other one of thelines 26 and the similar contact of switch ill for the second timer isconnected by conductors iii and 35 to this same supply line.

The shaft :33 for each of the timers is driven by an electric motor 62receiving current from the supply lines 26.

With the above described arrangement, as the first article to be foldedis carried by the conveyor it along the support !5, its front edge liftsswitch 251 to a closed position and holds it in this position whiletraveling thereunder. Switch 24 then closes the circuit from the supplyline 25 to coil 28 operating transfer switch TR to move arm 29 intoclosing contact with contact 36, thereby causing battery 56 to energizethe coil it of timer A which starts to rotate clockwise closing switchMi of said timer. Switch l! of said timer stays open, however, ashereinafter explained. Timer A continues to turn forward until the rearedge of the sheet material leaves switch it, and then said switch opens,and arm 29 of switch TR moves back to neutral. Thereafter, the sheetmaterial travels along until it lifts switch 25 to a closed position,thus energizing coil 36 of the transfer switch TR, which closes thecircuit for reverse direction clutch coil d5 of timer A, thus causingits disk 42 to rotate counterclockwise and through the gearinghereinafter described twice as fast as in its forward direction so thatafter half the length of the material to be folded has passed thefolding rolls H, the switch ii of timer A will be closed, thusconnecting coil 22 with the supply line and causing it to move blade ii)to a folding position to tuck the material between the folding rolls ll,so that it will be delivered therefrom in a folded condition, and thenswitch 4! is again opened. Direct- 1y thereafter switch it of timer A isopened breaking the circuit to reverse rotation clutch coil 45. switch25, it opens, thus deenergizing coil 36 and allowing arm 3! of transferswitch TR, to return to neutral or open position.

As the first sheet of material article passes along the conveyor, it isfollowed by another sheet whose front edge closes switch 25 closingcircuit through coil 28 which then acts to move switch as into contactwith contact 31 which closes circuit through forward rotation clutchcoil A l of timer A driving disk 42 thereof in a clockwise directionclosing its switch d0 while its switch l! stays open as hereinafterexplained, disk ll! continuing to turn until the rear edge of the secondsheet leaves switch 24, and then said switch opens and arm 29 of switchTR moves back to neutral. When the front edge of this second sheetreaches the switch 25, it closes the same, thus energizing coil 36 ofswitch TR which under these conditions makes contact between arm 31 andcontact 39 which closes the circuit for reverse rotation clutch coil 45of timer A thus causing its disk 52 to rotate counterclockwise, andthrough gearing hereinafter described twice as fast as in in its forwarddirection, so that after half the length of the second sheet of materialhas passed the rolls ll, the switch ii of timer A closes, thus As soonas the folded material leaves energizing coil .22 and moving blade l9 toits folding position to tuck the sheet material between said rolls, sothat it will be delivered therefrom in a folded condition, and thenswitch ii is again opened. Directly thereafter switch to of timer A isopened, breaking the circuit to reverse coil 35 of said timer, and assoon as the rear edge of the second sheet leaves the switch 25, the coil35, of transfer switch TR. is deenergized, thus allowing arm 3? of saidswitch TR to return to neutral position. It will be noted that ashereinafter described instead of one contact arm for each transferswitch that actually there are two switches, one closing the circuit tothe coil i i and the other to coil :35 of each timer, and that there isa slight lead of the actuator for the switch ll of each timer ascompared to its switch 69. As other articles proceed along the'conveyor,the cycle described above repeats itself.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, each of the timers includes aframe 83 carrying the motor 62 connected by reduction gearing til to anintermediate shaft 65 carrying gears t6 and 6'5. The shaft t3 carries agear meshing with the gear 66 and, which when coupled to said gear,rotates forward at a predetermined speed while it carries anothersmaller gear to connected through an idler gear if! to the gear 5i and,which when coupled to said gear E9, rotates in a reverse direction attwice its forward speed.

Drums or pole pieces H are fixed to shaft 43 and each has conductorrings 12 mounted thereon upon which resilient contacts 13, i l, and 55,mounted on the frame 63, bear. The clutch operating coil M is mounted inone end of each drum 1! to cooperate with a clutch plate 26 of magneticmaterial which is connected at its outer periphery by rivets H to aresilient diaphragm '58 whose inner diameter is connected by pins "is tothe gear 68. The clutch operating coil A5 is similarly mounted in theother drum H to cooperate with a clutch plate 88 of magnetic materialwhich like the plate 16 is similarly associated with the gear 69.Energization of either the coil 44 or coil 45 draws its cooperativearmature (clutch plate 16 or into driving relation with it drum H so asto couple the gear 68 or 69 to the shaft 43. Contact 13 is connected toconductor 52 or 53 of the diagram, contact M with conductor $8 and lid,and contact i5 is connected to each conductor 5d.

The shaft 43 carries the disk 42 which has a switch operating pin 81fixed thereto and projecting from one side thereof to engage the switchoperating arm 82 of a microswitch designated as iii in Fig. 14. Saiddisk on its other side has a pawl 83 pivoted thereon and adapted to tipup to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 when disk 42 is rotatingclockwise but to engage with a stop pin 8 on reverse rotation so as tomove switch operating arm 85 of a microswitch designated as M in Fig.14, pawl 33 having a slight lead over pin 8!, so that switch fill isopened before switch 46 closes. The terminal connections for theseswitches are designated in Fig. 14.

It will now be apparent that shaft dB is driven forwardly when coil M isenergized at one speed and switch 46 is closed during this period solong as the article to be folded is holding switch 24 closed and thatsaid shaft is driven in the reverse direction when coil i5 is energizedand at twicethe forward speed until pawl 83 moves arm 85 to close switchll momentarily and then through pin 8! and arm 82 open switch Ml. As theaction of switch 40 acts to measure the length of the article by theperiod of time it takes for the article to pass the switch 24 it is.obvious that with the shaft 43 rotating twice as fast in the reversedirection the switch .4! will :be closed i half the time, and hencethattheifolder controlled by this switch will fold the article .in themiddle of its length.

To permit continuous successive measuring and folding of the articlesfed along the conveyor, the two timers A and A are provided which act inconjunction with the two transfer switches TR and TR Each transferswitch includes a frame 86 having a coil 28 or 36 of a plunger typesolenoid mounted thereon in which a plunger 81 reciprocates, saidplunger carrying a member 88 guided in the frame by a pin and slotconnection 89 and having pawls 90 and 91 pivotally mounted on oppositeends thereof. The pawl 90 is gravity actuated and swings between a stoppin 92-on the member 88 and an adjustable stop 93 on the frame. The pawl9| is spring urged upwardly and swings between a stop pin 94 on themember 88 and an adjustable stop 95 on the frame. Both pawls cooperatewith a ratchet wheel 96 whose shaft 91 is mounted to rotate in the frame86 and carries a disk 98 having sets of pins 99 and H10 projecting fromopposite sides thereof. The pins of each set are spaced equal distanceapart, but the pins of one set are staggered or set over half thespacing distance of the other set, so that the switches operated bythese pins will be operated alternately. The pins 99 operate a switchoperating arm 19! of a switch S for that part of the circuit designatedby parts 29 and 39 or 31 and 38 of Fig. 14 while the pins IUD operate aswitch operating arm H12 of a switch S for that part of the circuitdesignated by the parts 29 and 3t or 3"! and 39 of Fig. 14, and it will,therefore, be apparent that the only diiference between the circuitdiaphragm and the transfer switch shown in detail is that two'movableswitch members connected to a common conductor are used in place of thearms 29 and 31 of said diagram, the fixed contacts 30 and 3| beingsimilarly referenced in Fig. 10 to those of Fig. 14.

Each transfer switch operates, as follows: the first upward pull of thesolenoid 28 or 36 moves the plunger 91 and member 98 upwardly, thuscausing pawl 90 to move from the position shown in Fig. 11 to theposition shown in Fig. 12, thus moving ratchet wheel 96 a distance of ahalf a tooth, and when plunger 81 moves down, pawl 9! moves from theposition shown in'Fig. 12 to the position shown in Fig. 11, thus movingwheel 9t a distance of one-half a tooth, so that on each reciprocationof said plunger 81 the ratchet is moved clockwise one tooth, and hencethe disk or pin gear 98 is moved through half the distance between thepins of either of the sets 99 or me, but since these sets are staggered,one of the pins 99 will engage its switch operating arm E9! on thisreciprocation while on the next reciprocation one of the pins I willengage its operating-arm I92, it being noted that on the rip-stroke theswitch including contacts 30 29 or 31 and 38 of Fig. 14 is closed andthat for the next up-stroke the switch including contacts 29 and Si or3'! and .39 of Fig. 14 is closed, and that for each down-stroke the pingear is advanced to a position intermediate that of the 1 on each sideof the disk 98. Thus energization of the coil 28 by the closing ofswitch .the closing of switch 25 by the next sheet of material closescontacts 31 and 39 or its switch 8 :so that the operations of thesetransfer switches operate .as described in connection with the diagramin Fig. 14, to switch the current from the battery 46 from the coil 44of timer A tothe coil 44 of timer A and from the coil 45 of timer A tothe coil 45 of timer A With the above general description of thecomplete apparatusuand the specific description of the timers andtransfer switches, it will be apparent that I have provided a foldingmechanism in which the action of the sheet material passing along aconveyor operates the control switches 24 and 25 which through theaction of the transfer switches TR and 'I'li, control timers A and A toin turn control the solenoid 22 operating the folding blade 19.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited tothe details of construction herein described except as said limitationsare included in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an apparatus for folding sheet material including a converyoroperating at a constant speed :and folding mechanism including anelectricallycontrolled folder'to which the sheet .material is fed bysaid conveyor, the combination of'a .movable timing member, an operatingcircuit forsaid folder including a folder control switch operated bysaid timing member, a pair of circuit closures spaced along the conveyorat a distance greater than that of the longest length of sheet materialto be folded, the second of said closures being located adjacent saidfolder, each closure operable to close a circuit while in contact withan article of sheet material passing along said conveyor, electricallycontrolled means for moving said timing member in one direction at aspeed proportional to that of the movement of the article by theconveyor and controlled by the closing of the first of said circuitclosures by the full length of sheet material moving along the conveyor,electrically controlled means for moving said timing member in theopposite direction at a higher speed than that of its first mentioneddirection and controlled by the closing of said second closure by aportion of the same sheet moving along said conveyor, said foldercontrol switch being operated by said timing member at the end of itshigh speed movement to fold said sheet into a .shorter length, saidlength being dependent upon the ratio of the speeds of movement of saidtiming member.

2. In anapparatus for folding sheet material including a conveyoroperating at a constant speed and a folder to which the sheet materialis fed by said conveyor, the combination of an electrically operatedtimer, a circuit closure engageable with the sheet material passingalong said conveyor and operated thereby, electrically operated meanscontrolled by said closure for moving the timer in one direction for aperiod determined by the time during which the full length of sheetmaterial is operating said closure, a second circuit closure engageablewith the material for operation thereby during its movement for aportion of its length by said conveyor and disposed adjacent said folderand spaced from said first closure a distance greater than that of thelongest length of sheet material to be folded, electrically operatedmeans controlled by said second closure for moving the timer in thereverse direction at a higher speed as the portion of the materialpasses said folder, and electrically operated means controlled by saidtimer at the end of its reverse movement to operate said folder at apoint intermediate the length of said material.

3. In an apparatus for folding sheet material including a conveyoroperating at a constant speed and a folder to which the sheet materialis fed by said conveyor, thecombination of a rotary timer, a circuitclosure engageable with the sheet material for operation thereby whilepassing along said conveyor, electrically operated means controlled bysaid closure for rotating the timer in one direction for a perioddetermined by the time of contact of said closure with the full lengthof said material during the passage of the same along the conveyor, asecond circuit closure engageable with the material and operated by aportion of the length of said material as it moves along the conveyorand disposed adjacent said folder and spaced from said first closure adistance greater than that of the longest length of sheet material to befolded, electrically operated means controlled by said second closurefor rotating the timer in the reverse direction at a higher speed assaid portion of the material passes said folder, and electricallyoperated means controlled by said timer at the end of its reversemovement to operate said folder at a point intermediate the length ofsaid material.

4. In an apparatus for folding sheet material including a conveyoroperating at a constant speed and a folder to which the material is fedby said conveyor, the combination of a rotary timer, timer drivemeansincluding change speed A and reverse gearing for operating sa1d timer atdifferent speeds and in different directions, electromagneticallyoperated clutches for controlling said gearing, a control circuitincluding a circuit closure engageable with and operated by the materialmoved by said conveyor while the same is passing said closure foroperating one of said clutches for driving said timer in one directionfor a period determined by the full length of the material as it passesalong the conveyor, a control circuit including a circuit closuredisposed adjacent said folder and engageable with the material andoperated thereby as a portion thereof moves along said conveyor foroperating the other of said clutches for driving said timer in thereverse direction and at a higher speed as said portion of the materialpasses said folder, said second named circuit closure being spaced fromthe first named circuit closure a distance greater than that of thelongest length of sheet material to be folded, and means controlled bysaid timer at the end of its reverse rotation to operate said folder ata point intermediate the length of said material.

5. In an apparatus for folding successive sheets of sheet material fedalong a conveyor operating at a constant speed to a folder, thecombination of a pair of electrically operated rotary timers for timingthe passage of successive sheets along said conveyor, each timer havingdrive means including change speed and reverse gearing for re-'spectively operating each of said timers at different speeds and indifferent directions, electromagnetically operated clutches forcontrolling said gearing, a control circuit for said clutches includinga source of current and a pair of transfer switches, electricallyoperated means for each of said transfer switches including a source ofcurrent and a control circuit having a control switch therein engageablewith the material for operation thereby while passing said switch as thematerial moves along said conveyor, the control switch for the firsttransfer switch being operable by each sheet of material during thepassage of its full length along the conveyor, the control switch forthe second transfer switch being spaced from the control switch for thefirst transfer switch a distance greater than that of the longest lengthof sheet material to be folded and being disposed adjacent said folderand being operable by each sheet of material during the passage of aportion of its length past said folder, the first of said transferswitches controlling the said magnetic clutch for operating said timerdrive means of both the timers in one direction successively onsuccessive sheets of material and having two positions in one of whichthe said timer drive means for the first timer is rendered operative andin the other of which the timer drive means for the second timer isrendered operative, the second of said transfer switches being operableto control the operation of the electromagnetic clutch establishingreverse rotation for said timers at a higher speed successively and onsuccessive sheets of material and having two positions in one of whichthe high speed drive for the first timer is rendered operative and inthe other of which the high speed drive for the second timer is renderedoperative, and electromagnetically operated means controlled by thetimers at the end of their reverse movement to operate said folder at apoint intermediate the lengths of said .successive sheets.

6. Sheet folding apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which eachtransfer switch comprises a solenoid and a switch operating pin gear,and a pawl and ratchet drive connection between said solenoid and pingear.

7. Sheet folding apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which eachtransfer switch comprises a solenoid and a switch operating memberhaving two sets of operating pins arranged in offset spaced relation,and a pawl and ratchet drive for said member from said solenoidcomprising a ratchet wheel connected to said member and oppositelydisposed alternately acting pawls mounted on the plunger of saidsolenoid.

THOMAS S. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,242 McFarland Dec. 6, 19211,581,677 Carnovsky Apr. 20, 1926 1,960,940 Kahn May 29, 1934 2,034,040Johnson Mar. 17, 1936 2,261,226 Clegg Nov. 4, 1941 2,389,458 PrestonNov. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 513,677 Great BritainOct. 19, 1939

